Tension exercise apparatus

ABSTRACT

An exercise apparatus includes at least one tension-type exercise device having a handle assembly attached to an elongated resilient member for being stretched between a base on which an exerciser is standing, and a handgrip to thereby create an exercising counterforce. In this invention, the handle assembly comprises an elongated shaft, a sliding handle plate and an attaching device for attaching the sliding handle plate to the elongated shaft at various positions along the elongated shaft. The elongated resilient member is attached to the handle assembly at the sliding handle plate. Thus, the handle assembly allows adjustment of an effective length of the elongated resilient member to thereby adjust for the size and/or strength of the exerciser.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates broadly to exercise apparatus and more particularly to elastic-tension type exercise devices. Various exercise devices have been suggested of a type including a base on which an exerciser is supported, a handle which is pulled away from the base by an exerciser and springs, or other elastic tethers, attaching the handle to the base for providing a counterforce to the exerciser's movements of the handle. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,197,934 to Wirtz; 1,691,092 to Titus; and 5,122,287 to Brewer describe such exercise apparatus.

[0002] Although each of these devices provides a relatively uncomplicated exercise apparatus, none of them allows a sufficient variety of adjustments for allowing an exerciser to adequately customize the device for himself. That is, none of them allows an exerciser a range of adjustments for compensating for the exerciser's height as well as his strength. Although the exercising device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,112,287 to Brewer allows an exerciser to attach ends of tension members at different points along angled side portions of a base, this mechanism is primarily used for adjusting tension and the base is for a seated person.

[0003] It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide an elastic-tension type exercise apparatus having an uncomplicated structure but yet allowing multiple adjustments for customizing the apparatus for use with various size and strength exercisers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] According to principles of this invention, an exercise apparatus includes at least one tension-type exercise device having a handle assembly attached to an elongated resilient member for being stretched between a base on which an exerciser is standing, and a handgrip to thereby create an exercising counterforce. In this invention, the handle assembly comprises an elongated shaft, a sliding handle plate and an attaching device for attaching the sliding handle plate to the elongated shaft at various positions along the elongated shaft. The elongated resilient member is attached to the handle assembly at the sliding handle plate. Thus, the handle assembly allows adjustment of an effective length of the elongated resilient member to thereby adjust for the size and/or strength of the exerciser.

[0005] In one embodiment, the elongated shaft is U-shaped, and the sliding handle plate attaches across arms of the U. The elongated resilient element can include multiple elastic members, such as coil springs. The base is foldable. Further, the exercise apparatus can include multiple exercise devices, one for a left hand, one for a right hand, and one for both hands.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006]FIG. 1 is a plan view, partially in section, of an exercise apparatus having multiple exercise devices of this invention thereon, with of the exercise devices lying flat on a base thereof;

[0007]FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the exercise apparatus of FIG. 1, but with the exercise devices thereof extending perpendicularly upwardly, away from the base;

[0008]FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a sliding-handle plate, which forms a part of either a platform handle assembly or hand handle assembly of the exercise device of FIG. 1;

[0009]FIG. 4 is an enlarged plan view of a connection link for attaching elongated resilient members of the apparatus of FIG. 1 to the handle assemblies thereof;

[0010]FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view of a pin forming a part of the exercise apparatus of FIG. 1, used for attaching the sliding handle plates to the elongated handle shafts;

[0011]FIG. 5a is an isometric, exploded, cutaway view of multiple coil springs forming elongated resilient members of an apparatus of this invention similar to the apparatus of FIG. 1;

[0012]FIG. 6 is an enlarged isometric view of a wing nut used for attaching platform handle assemblies to the base of the exercise apparatus of FIG. 1;

[0013]FIG. 7 is an enlarged isometric view of a platform handle anchor which holds platform handle assemblies to the base, while allowing the platform handle assemblies to swivel relative to the base, of the exercise apparatus of FIG. 1;

[0014]FIG. 8 is an enlarged isometric view of an elongated shaft of the exercise apparatus of FIG. 1;

[0015]FIG. 9 is an elevational view of the exercise apparatus of FIG. 1, but with only the left and right exercise devices extending perpendicularly upwardly from the base, with a center exercise device lying flat relative to the base;

[0016]FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9, but with only the center exercise device extending perpendicularly upwardly from the base and the left and right exercise devices lying flat relative to the base, with center-station platform resting posts being included; and

[0017]FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of another embodiment, having a rotatable resting support.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] An exercise apparatus 10 of this invention, in the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, includes three exercise stations, or devices, as follows:

[0019] A left exercise device 12, a right exercise device 14, and a center exercise device 16. Further, the exercise apparatus 10 includes a foldable base 18 comprised of left and right flat rectangular boards 20 and 22, pivotally held together by hinges 24. The foldable base 18 is common to all three of the exercise devices 12, 14, and 16. Structurally, the left and right exercise devices 12 and 14 are identical, so only the left exercise device is described herein.

[0020] The left exercise device basically includes a left platform handle assembly 26, a left hand handle assembly 28 and elongated resilient members 30, with the elongated resilient members 30 being shown in FIG. 1 as extendable coil springs.

[0021] The left platform handle assembly 26 basically includes an elongated U-shaped shaft 32 and a sliding handle plate 34. The elongated shaft is shown in more detail, and by itself, in FIG. 8 and the sliding handle plate 34 is shown by itself in FIG. 3. The left platform handle assembly 26 also includes pins 36, shown in detail in FIG. 5, which extend through holes 38 in the sliding handle plate 34 and holes 40 in the elongated shaft 32. In this regard, opposite ends of the sliding handle plate 34 are attached to opposite arms of the U-shaped elongated shaft 32 by opposite pins 36, as shown in FIG. 1. It should be understood that the elongated shafts shown in the other figures also have holes 40 therein, however, for purposes of simplicity, those holes are not shown. With regard to the holes 40 in the elongated shaft 32, these holes are arranged in series of hole pairs in each of the arms, with the holes in each hole pair being directly opposite one another so that the pins 36 can extend completely through arms of the elongated shaft 32. It will be understood that by removing the pins 36, sliding the sliding handle plate along the elongated shaft 32 and re-inserting the pins 36, one can adjust the position of the sliding handle plate 34 along the elongated shaft 32. A center portion 42 of the elongated shaft 32 is rotatably attached to the left board 20 of the base 18 by U-shaped platform handle anchors 44, one of which is shown in more detail in FIG. 7. The platform handle anchors 44 have flanges 46 which are attached to the base 18 by bolts extending upwardly through the base 18 and wing nuts 48, one of which is shown in more detail in FIG. 6. The platform handle anchors 44 allow the elongated shaft 32 to swivel relative to the base 18 while holding the elongated shaft 32 to the base 18.

[0022] The left hand handle assembly 28 has a very similar structure to the left platform handle assembly 26, although it differs therefrom in that a U-shaped elongated shaft 32 a thereof is longer than the elongated shaft 32 of the left platform handle assembly 26 and a center portion 42 a thereof includes a handgrip 50 thereon rather than being attached to the base 18 by the platform handle anchors 44. A sliding-handle plate 34 a is identical in structure to the sliding-handle plate 34. It is possible to make the sliding-handle plates 34 and 34 a of different lengths to correspond to different widths of the elongated shafts 32 and 32 a. On the other hand, they can also be made to have the same lateral dimensions (lengths of the sliding-handle plates 34, 34 a and widths of the elongated shafts 32, 32 a).

[0023] Again, the left exercise device 12 and the right exercise device 14 are identical in structure so the various elements would have the same reference numbers.

[0024] Describing now in more detail the center exercise device 16, this exercise device has a center platform handle assembly 52 which can be almost identical in structure to the left platform handle assembly 26, but in the FIG. 1 embodiment its U-shaped elongated shaft 54 is longer than the elongated shaft 32. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, spacers 56 are included beside platform handle anchors 44 a.

[0025] Also, a sliding-handle plate 58 can be identical to the sliding-handle plate 34 of the left platform handle assembly 26, each being able to take five springs. This sliding-handle plate 58 is attachable to the elongated shaft 54 at various points therealong by pins 36 in the same manner as is the sliding-handle plate 34 along its elongated shaft 32.

[0026] A center hand handle assembly 60 is basically a rigid D-shaped member 62 having a hollow handgrip 64 with a bore 74 on one side and defining a bore 66 on the other side. The bore 66 receives a pin 68 for attaching the D-shaped member 62 to center elongated resilient members 30. A particular embodiment of the center-handle assembly 60 is shown in more detail in FIG. 5A being attached only to the center elongated resilient members 30. Although, in FIG. 1 the rigid D-shaped member is shown as being attached to five elongated resilient members 30, in FIG. 5A it is only shown attached to three elongated resilient members.

[0027] Regarding the elongated resilient members 30, in FIG. 1 the left and right exercise devices 12 and 14 are shown only including three elongated resilient members 30 while the center exercise device is shown as having five elongated resilient members 30. However, these numbers of resilient members can be varied as desired, and the left and right exercise devices 12 and 14 are capable of having five elongated resilient members 30. The elongated resilient members 30 of the left and right exercise devices 12 and 14 are attached to their respective sliding-handle plates 34 and 34 a by figure-eight connection links 70, which are shown in detail in FIG. 4. Similarly, the elongated resilient members 30 of the center exercise device 16 are attached to the sliding-handle plate 58 of the center platform handle assembly 52 and to the D-shaped member 62 of the center hand handle assembly 60 by the figure-eight links, via the pin 68.

[0028] The center exercise device 16 further includes an exercise pole 72, which extends through the bore 74 in the handgrip 64. The purpose of the exercise pole 72 will be explained below.

[0029] Another feature of the invention which can most clearly be seen in FIGS. 2 and 10, is a center-station, resting support 76, comprising two center-station resting posts 78, each of which has a U-shaped resting-post cradle 80 for receiving the exercise pole 72. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, the resting posts 78 are removable from resting-post sockets 82 on the base 18, as is shown in FIG. 9. The resting posts 76 are shown in cross-section in FIG. 1. However, in another embodiment shown in FIG. 11, the resting posts 78 are formed as part of a member that is much like the elongated shaft 54 in shape, only longer and without holes. It is mounted on the base 18 in the same manner as is the elongated shaft 54, but also includes a lock, or brace, for locking it in an upright position. In fact, modified platform handle anchors 44 a that attach the elongated shaft 54 to the base 18 could also attach such a resting-support 76 to the base 18, immediately behind the elongated shaft 54, as shown in FIG. 11. The resting post lies on the base 18 between the center elongated shaft 54 and the side elongated shafts 32.

[0030] Describing now operation of the exercise apparatus of this invention, the apparatus can be transported and/or stored in a disassembled state, i.e., with each of the exercise devices 12, 14 and 16 removed from the base 18. Disassembly and assembly is easily accomplished by loosening and tightening the wing nuts 48. Washers are used in connection with the wing nuts 48. Use of the exercise apparatus will be described assuming an exerciser begins with the exercise apparatus in a disassembled state.

[0031] The left and right boards 20 and 22 of the base 18 are rotated away from one another so that the base 18 lies flat on a floor. The center portion 42 of the U-shaped elongated shaft 54 of the center exercise device 12 is attached to the left and right boards 20 and 22 by the platform handle anchors 44 a. This attachment tends to make the left and right boards rigid relatively to one another. Again, the resting posts 78 could be attached in the same manner, as shown in FIG. 11.

[0032] Similarly, the left and right exercise devices 12 and 14 are attached by their platform handle anchors 44 to the left and right boards 20 and 22, as shown in FIG. 1. The center-station resting support 76 is assembled by inserting the center-station resting posts 78 in the resting-post sockets 82 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. However, in the embodiment of FIG. 11 in which the resting parts 78 are also formed by a member like the elongated shaft 54, they are rotated 90° and locked or braced in position.

[0033] It should be understood that in the view of FIG. 1, the exercise apparatus is basically inactive because all of the exercise devices are lying flat on the base 18. If an exerciser wishes to use the exercise apparatus 10, he would rotate those exercise devices 12, 14 and/or 16 which he does not want to use off of the base, i.e., 180° upwardly and over to lie flat on the floor beside the base. The exercise devices that the exerciser wishes to use, he rotates upwardly until they are in a vertical position. The exerciser stands on the base and pulls the handgrip 50, 60 of the exercise devices he is using away from the base. For example, let us assume that the exerciser wishes to exercise with the left and right exercise devices 14 and 16. To do this, he rotates the center exercise device 180° from the position shown in FIG. 1 until it lies on the floor beside the base 18. The exerciser then lifts the handgrips 50 of the left and right exercise devices 12 and 14 until the left- and right-hand exercise devices 12 and 14 are positioned vertically, perpendicular to the base 18. The exerciser stands on the base 18 and pulls the handgrips 50 away from the base 18, thereby extending the elongated resilient members 30 which, in turn, create a counterforce for the exerciser. Should the handgrips 50 not be in convenient positions when the elongated resilient members 30 begin to create the counterforce, the exerciser can adjust these positions by moving the sliding-handle plates 34 and/or 34 a along their respective shafts 32 and 32 a. The exercise, when used in this manner, is shown in FIG. 9. It is desirable to use the exercise apparatus in this manner, for example, when the exerciser does not wish to move both arms in tandem. Also, this mode of exercise is useful for applying different forces to different arms of an exerciser. In this regard, it is possible to have a different number of springs in the left exercise device than in the right exercise device. Also, the handle assemblies for the left and right exercise devices could be adjusted to different lengths.

[0034] If the exerciser desires to move both hands together, the center exercise device 16 could be used. In this configuration, the left and right exercise devices 12 and 14 are rotated 180° from the position shown in FIG. 1 so that they lie on the floor away from the base 18 and the center exercise device 16 is lifted to extend vertically, perpendicularly away from the base 18, as is depicted in FIG. 10. In this configuration, the exercise pole 72 can rest in the resting-post cradles 80 of the center-station resting support 76. Again, an exerciser stands on the base 18, grips opposite ends of the exercise pole 72, and therewith pushes the center handgrip 64 away from the base, thereby extending the elongated resilient members 30 of the center exercise device 16 and creating a counterforce for the exerciser. When a user wishes to rest the center exercise device, he places the exercise pole 72 in the resting-post cradles 80.

[0035] It should be noted that the center exercise device 16 has five elongated resilient members 30 while, in the drawings, the left and right exercise devices 14 and 16 only have three elongated resilient members. However, the left and right exercise devices 14 and 16 quite often also have five elongated resilient members. The center exercise device 16 is usually operated on by two hands of the exerciser while the left and right exercise devices 14 and 16 are normally operated on only by one hand, however, this is not necessary.

[0036] The lengths of the center exercise device 16 can be increased and decreased in the same general manner as can th lengths of the left and right exercise devices 14 and 16; although the left and right exercise devices 14 and 16 can have their lengths increased at opposite ends whereas the length of the center exercise device 16 can only be increased at the center platform handle assembly 52.

[0037] Although this invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various modifications are possible within the scope of this invention. For example, the numbers of elongated resilient members for the different exercise devices can be varied. Also, the handle assemblies and their elongated shafts can have structures other than those disclosed herein.

[0038] It will be understood that the handle assemblies of this invention allow an exerciser to produce any light to heavy resistance simply by resetting the sliding-handle plates to different positions along the elongated shafts of the handle assemblies. Each exerciser can determine the resistance and effective length that is comfortable for him. Thus, this invention can be used for conditioning and toning of almost any upper-body muscle of an exerciser.

[0039] Thus, each exerciser can customize the exercise devices for his particular height. Experience has shown that this invention can be used for individuals as short as 4 ft. to individuals as tall as 7.6 ft. in height.

[0040] The invention has additional flexibility in that an exerciser can also use the center exercise device for exercising one hand. Thus, without adjustment, an exerciser can apply the tension of three springs or five springs to one hand.

[0041] Similarly, additional exercise devices could be included with an exercise apparatus to provide additional flexibility of use. For example, there could be two additional 5-spring exercise devices with D-shaped handles 62. This makes available two 5-spring exercise devices to be attached as right and left exercise devices. These two exercise devices could then be combined by extending the exercise pole 72 between them, thus providing fifteen springs. The 3-spring right and left exercise devices could also be combined by the exercise pole 72, thus providing six springs. Other combinations are possible. 

I claim:
 1. An exercise apparatus comprising: a base for being supported on a floor and for supporting an exerciser; an elongated resilient element having first and second ends; a platform handle assembly movable relative to said base for attaching the first end of said elongated resilient element to the platform; and a hand handle assembly for attaching to said second end of said elongated resilient element, said hand handle assembly including a handgrip for being gripped by said exerciser and being pulled away from said base by said exerciser for thereby stretching said elongated resilient element and creating a counterforce on said hand-handled assembly towards the base; wherein at least one of the platform and hand handle assemblies comprises an elongated shaft, a sliding-handle plate, and an attaching device for attaching said sliding-handle plate to said elongated shaft at various positions along said elongated shaft, and wherein said elongated resilient element is attached to said sliding-handle plate of said at least one of the platform and hand handle assemblies; whereby said counterforce can be varied as a function of said hand-grip distance from said base by changing the position at which the sliding-handle plate is attached to said elongated shaft.
 2. An exercise apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said elongated shaft is a U-shaped member, having two arms, with said sliding-handle plate being attached to and extended between the U-arms.
 3. An exercise apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said elongated resilient element is comprised of multiple elastic members.
 4. An exercise apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said base is comprised of multiple elements that are pivotal relative to one another.
 5. An exercise apparatus as in claim 2 wherein is included multiple exercise devices of the type set forth in claim
 1. 6. An exercise apparatus as in claim 5 wherein there are at least three exercise devices, one for the exerciser's left hand, one for the exerciser's right hand, and one to be used by both hands of the exerciser.
 7. An exercise apparatus as in claim 6 wherein said exercise apparatus further includes an exercise pole for extending through a handgrip of at least one of the exercise devices.
 8. An exercise apparatus as in claim 1 wherein each of said platform handle assembly and said hand handle assembly comprises an elongated shaft, a sliding-handle plate, and an attaching device for attaching said sliding-handle plate to said elongated shaft at various positions along said elongated shaft, and wherein said elongated resilient element is attached to the sliding-handle plate of each of said platform and hand handle assemblies.
 9. An exercise apparatus as in claim 8 wherein said elongated shaft is a U-shaped member, having two arms, with said sliding-handle plate being attached to and extended between the U-arms.
 10. An exercise apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said elongated resilient element is comprised of multiple elastic members.
 11. An exercise apparatus as in claim 10 wherein said base is comprised of multiple elements that are pivotal relative to one another.
 12. An exercise apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said base is comprised of multiple elements that are pivotal relative to one another.
 13. An exercise apparatus as in claim 1 wherein is included multiple exercise devices of the type set forth in claim
 1. 14. An exercise apparatus as in claim 13 wherein there are at least three exercise devices, one for the exerciser's left hand, one for the exerciser's right hand, and one to be used by both hands of the exerciser. 